Oxford lab expansion supports nerve repair research
Newrotex, the Oxford-based clinical-stage biotech developing silk-based medical devices for nerve repair, has taken 1,680 ft2 (156 m2) of laboratory and offi ce space at The Oxford Trust’s Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington. The move comes as the company enters a critical phase of clinical and operational scale-up, preparing its SilkAxons® device for broader clinical trials and eventual market launch.
Founded by trauma surgeon Dr Alex Woods and Professor Fritz Vollrath from the University of Oxford, Newrotex is addressing a signifi cant unmet need in reconstructive surgery. Its implantable silk scaffolds, produced under controlled GMP conditions using silk from Golden Orb Weaver spiders, act as regenerative guides, enabling severed nerves to reconnect across gaps up to 10 cm - a length not currently achievable with traditional autografts. This off- the-shelf approach aims to eliminate the need for donor nerve harvest, reducing surgical time, patient morbidity, and costs.
The Newrotex team outside its new home at The Oxford Trust’s Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, Oxford. Credit: Ed Nix
Each year, roughly 1.5 million patients worldwide undergo peripheral nerve injury surgery. Newrotex’s technology could establish a new standard of care for patients recovering from trauma or undergoing reconstruction after cancer surgeries, such as mastectomy or prostatectomy. Preliminary data from fi rst-in-human studies, which began in August 2025, indicate encouraging safety and performance signals, with primary outcome completion expected in February
2026. Subject to successful results, the company plans multinational pivotal studies to support US and UK regulatory submissions.
The new Wood Centre facilities will enable Newrotex to expand its team, strengthen manufacturing and quality systems, and continue building toward commercial launch. Steve Burgess, CEO of The Oxford Trust, said: “Newrotex’s work in nerve regeneration exemplifi es the pioneering science we aim to support. The combination of high-quality lab facilities and a collaborative innovation community will allow them to accelerate growth and bring transformative treatments closer to patients.”
“The new lab space gives us the infrastructure to advance our clinical studies and bring nerve repair treatments closer to patients,” said Dr Alex Woods, founder and VEO of Newrotex.
Newrotex joins a thriving community of science and technology companies at the Wood Centre, including DJS Antibodies, Helio Display Materials, and PicturaBio. The Oxford
Newrotex develop innovative silk-based medical devices for nerve repair using natural silk fi bres produced by Golden Orb Weaver spiders. Credit: Ed Nix
Trust is also investing £7 million in its new Aspen Building, due for completion in July 2026, which will provide fl exible, high-quality laboratory and technical space for start-ups and scale-ups across Oxford’s innovation ecosystem.
More information online:
theoxfordtrust.co.uk 66625pr@reply-direct.com
£750k UK–Canada collaboration launches first project in Liverpool robotic infection lab
A £750,000 international collaboration has been launched to advance next-generation vaccine development, marking the fi rst commercial project to be confi rmed for the Liverpool Robotic Infection Research Laboratory - the UK’s fi rst Category Three Level robotic facility.
The partnership brings together iiDiagnostics (iiDX), formed by the Infection Innovation Consortium (iiCON), and Canadian biotech Eyam Health. It will combine Eyam’s AI-driven
vaccine design platforms with automated human organoid models developed through iiCON’s lead partner, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM).
The project will be the fi rst to operate within the £20 million Liverpool Robotic Infection Research Laboratory, currently under construction, which is designed to support high-containment infectious disease research using advanced robotics and automated systems.
At the centre of the collaboration is the development of a fully automated, human- relevant tonsillar organoid model to enable rapid testing of vaccine candidates. The initial programme will assess Eyam’s universal SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate, with a second stream exploring multi-antigen vaccine delivery from a single dose.
Funding includes support from Canada’s National Research Council Industrial Research Assistance Program, alongside backing from
Innovate UK (part of UKRI) and iiDiagnostics.
The collaboration also aims to establish new industry access models for the Liverpool facility, supporting future vaccine development and strengthening UK–Canada capabilities in infectious disease research and pandemic preparedness.
More information online:
ilmt.co/PL/vlld 66632pr@reply-direct.com
Strategic appointment strengthens clinical leadership
Qureight has appointed Dr Steven Bishop as its new Chief Medical Officer, reflecting the company’s continued growth and commercial success in supporting global clinical studies.
Previously Chief Data Officer, Dr Bishop will now lead Qureight’s Clinical Operations team and oversee product development, clinical strategy, and regulatory affairs. His appointment comes as the company strengthens its infrastructure and capability to deliver AI-powered imaging biomarkers and clinical data management for lung and heart disease trials worldwide.
Dr Bishop brings over 20 years of experience in healthcare and data science, including leadership roles at CMR Surgical and Flok Health. He has extensive experience in AI and imaging
biomarker development, and holds both a medical degree and a computer science background.
Muhunthan Thillai, MD, Co-founder and CEO of Qureight, said: “Steven has been an invaluable member of our leadership team since joining 18 months ago. His new role as CMO reflects both his contributions and the progress of Qureight as we scale our global clinical trial capabilities.”
Dr Bishop added: “I am excited to take on this new role and help Qureight continue to deliver innovative AI-driven solutions that support clinical trials and ultimately improve patient care.”
More information online:
ilmt.co/PL/4llz 66633pr@reply-direct.com
Dr Steven Bishop.
Muhunthan Thillai.
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